Bekgii



(No Model.)

; w'bimaoowz 2 Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

wuc-who-z HENRY VAX HOEYENBERGH,

ELECTREC Parent OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

LIGHTENG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,292, dated December 18, 1883, Application filed February 23, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY VAN Honvnx- BERGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lighting and Apparatus Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that system of electric lighting in which the so-ca-lled electric arc is maintained between two separated carbon electrodes. It relates especially to the construction of said electrodes, and to the class of devices or appliances commonly termed regulators, the function of which is to antomatically maintain said electrodes in that relation to each other which is essential to the production of a uniform and maximum degree of illumination.

To this end myinvention consists, generally, in giving to both of said carbon electrodes a helical or spiral form, and in imparting to them a corresponding motion, and also in a method of and apparatus for maintaining the proper relative positions of the opposing points of said helical or spiral electrodes, which method and apparatus may be generally described as follows: The lower or negative carbon preferably remains stationary. It is in the form of a hollow helix or spiral, the lower end of which is rigidly afiixed to the framework of the apparatus by means of a suitable clamp. The upper or positive carbon, which is of like helical or spiral form, is suspended by a clamp from the lower end of a vertical rotating shaft, so that the lower end of the positive carbon confronts the upper end of the negative carbon. The shaft which supports the positive carbon has an exterior spiral thread which works in a screw-bearing in a stationary bed-plate which supports theframework of the lamp. The pitch of the screwthread is such that one complete revolution of the shaft will cause the point of the positive carbon to be moved through a vertical space equal to the distance between two adjacent convolutions of the spiral carbon. The inclination orpitch of both carbons being the same, they will form, when in contact, a continuous and uniform helical line, and when the shaft is revolved the point of the positive carbon will, according to the direction of revolution, be withdrawn from or advanced toward the point of the negative carbon, but without departing from its helical path. Theproper relation of the electrodes is maintained by governing the revolutions of the hereinbeforementioned shaft in the following manner: An electro-magnet is located in the circuit of the electrodes, so that its effective strength of attraction varies (as will be well understood by those versed in the art) in proportion to the variations in the strength of the electric current producing the luminous are between the electrodes. The attractive force of this electro-magnet is exerted upon its armature in opposition to the constant force of a retractile spring. The armature, by its movements, brings to bear upon said shaft a constant main taining power, so that when the current falls below the normal strength the shaft is made to rotate in that direction which causes the carbons to approach each other. When the normal strength of current is exceeded, the shaft is caused to revolve in the direction which separates them, and while the strength of current is normal the carbons are held at a fixed distance apart.

My invention further comprchends certain details of mechanism, the particular subjectmatter claimed being hereinafter specifically designated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l'is an elevation, partly in section, of the regulating mechanism, showing the carbons in position for operation. Figs. 2, 3, and i are partial plans of the controlling-disk, showing the driving-pinion in its several working positions.

Corresponding parts appearing in different figures are designated by similar letters of reference. V

In Fig. 1, 0 represents the upper or positive and G the lower or negative carbon. Both carbons are of helical or spiral form, as shown, and are of the same pitch; hence it will be apparent that as the positie carbon revolves in he line of its own spiral a continuous'advance in one direction will bring the points 0 and 0 together face to face without reference to the length of either carbon which may have been consumed. The upper carbon, C, is rigidly attached by means of the clamp K to the shaft S, which is provided with an external screwthread, T, working in a corresponding internal screw-thread formed within the bed-plate B. The distance between the successive turns of the screw-thread upon the shaft S is the same as that between the successive convolutions of the carbons G and C The electromagnet M is included in the same circuit with the carbons C and C and hence when traversed by an electric current its strength will increase as the carbons approach each other and diminish as they separate.

Above the bed-plate B, and resting loosely upon the same, is placed a controllingdisk, D, which is free to revolve in its horizontal plane, but is hindered from moving vertically by a stationary ring, It, attached in any suitable manner to the frame-work of the lamp. The vertical shaft S, with its screw-thread T, passes through a central opening in the disk D, of sufiicient length to admit several turns of the thread, as shown, thus accurately centering the shaft within the said opening. The disk D and shaft S are connected together by a spline-and-feather attachment, as shown at f, Figs. 1 and 2, so that while both must necessarily rotate together the shaft S will at the same time be screwed upward or downward, according to the direction of the revolution, and this motion will be imparted to the upper carbon electrode, 0.

The movements of the armature-lever A result from the action of three forces, as follows: first, the varlable attraction of the electromagnet M, tending to draw the armature a toward its poles; second, the constant opposing force of the antagonistic spring N, tending to draw said armature-lever away from the magnet and against the stop P; and, third, the conjoint pull of the spiral spring E and a fiat spring, the edge of which is seen at I, which force tends to hold the said armature-lever normally in a position midway between the poles of the electromagnet M and the stop 1?. The movements of the armature-lever A are transmitted by the pivoted link L to the vertical arbor F. The latter is provided with a flexible sleeve, V, permitting a slight hori* zontal deflection to the arbor without interfering with its revolution by reason of its connection with the clock-work mechanism contained in the box X, from which it receives its monamed positions, viz.: First, when the armature is drawn against the pole of the magnet, the teeth of the pinion \V will enter those of the range of teeth (1 in the outer wall of the recess G, and under the influence of the timetrain mechanism X the controlling-disk D will be revolved in the proper direction to separate the carbon points; secondly, when the armature-lever is drawn against the stop P, the teeth of the pinion IV will engage with those of the range (2' upon the inner wall of the recess G, and the controlling-disk will then be revolved in the opposite direction, causing the electrodes G and C to approach each other; thirdly, when the armature-lever is retained in the intermediate position between the pole of the magnet and the stop P, the pinion IV assumes a corresponding intermediate position midway between the walls of the recess G. In this latter position the teeth of the pinion will engage with the ranges in both walls of the groove G, though only partly entering the spaces between the teeth in said walls, and as the tendency to revolve the controlling-disk in one direction is offset by the equal tendency to revolve the same in the opposite direction, the disk will be locked and the carbon electrode will be held stationary. These three positions of the pinion are respectively shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. It will thus be understood that the electrodes will be automatically separated whenever the electric current exceeds its normal strength, brought together when the current falls below said normal strength, and locked in position when the current is neither too strong nor too weak, or, in other words, maintain its normal strength, which is that adapted to produce the greatest degree of illumination from the electrodes.

The electromagnet M is preferably wound with differential helices, one of which is of thick wire having a small resistance, and is included in the main or light circuit. The other is of thin wire, having a much greater resistance, and forms a shunt-circuit around the electrodes and the arc. By this device demagnetization of the cores is readily effected when necessary, for during the normal operation of the lamp the light-circuit remains of low resistance, and the current traversing the thickwire helix will be feeble in proportion to that which passes through the thin wire helix. The strength of the magnet will not, therefore, be materially weakened by its influence. If, however, an abnormal resistance is created in the are, as by reason of thebreakage of one of the carbons, or other cause, the proportion of current traversing the fine-wire helix will be correspondingly increased and the magnetizing effects of the two currents will be more nearly equal, and, being opposite,will tend to neutralize each other, thus freeing the armature, causing the'upper carbon to descend and reestablish the are.

The resistance of the spiral carbon C, which IIO were. 3

is considerable, owing to its great length, may be avoided by means of a rod, H, attached to the bed-plate B, and carrying a wire brush or other like device, h, which presses against the carbon electrode as it revolves.

It is apparent that by a more extended application of this invention both the electrodes may be made movable and their relative positions made subject to regulation in the manner set forth. It is also manifest that, while the principle of this invention will not be affected thereby, the details of construction may be more or less varied, and for this reason I do not desire to limit myself to the exact devices and appliances shown.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, of a spiral of carbon, a threaded shaft,to one end of which said spiral of carbon is secured, and a stationary bedplate or nut in which said shaft is revolved.

2. The combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a spiral electrode, the S111} portingshaft to which said spiral electrode is secured, the threads thereupon corresponding in number to the convolutions of said spiral electrode, and the perforated bed-plate provided with grooves of corresponding pitch.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the threaded shaft, the bed-plate, the disk, the spline-and-feather attachment between said disk and said shaft, the ring for preventing the vertical motion of said disk,and the electrode thereby advanced and withdrawn in the line of its own spiral.

4:. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the controlling-disk, the electrode spirally impelled by the revolutions of said disk, the two ranges of teeth carried by said disk, and the pinion capable of co-op erating with the teeth of either range.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the electrode and the device for causing its spiral movement, consisting of the threaded shaft, the bed-plate, the revolving disk, the splineand-feather attachment, and the means for preventing vertical motion of the disk, of the circular groove upon said disk, the ranges of teeth therein, and the pinion rotating within said groove, whereby the threaded shaft may be spirally impelled in either direction.

6. In an electric-light regulator, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a pinion, a source of power tending to constantly rotate said pinion, an electromagnet, an armature thereof, a link for communicating the movement of said armature to said pinion, two concentric ranges of teeth engaging, respectively, with said pinion, a disk upon which said ranges of teeth are se-' cured, and mechanism by which the movements of said disk are communicated to a shaft.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set fort-l1, of a pinion driven in one direction by a maintaining-power, two concentric ranges of teeth revolving about a common axis and engaging with said pinion, respectively, at opposite points of its diameter, an armature capable of three positions and mechanically connected with the arbor of said pinion, an electro-magnet for controlling the positions of said armature, and an antagonistic spring.

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the movable electrode, the disk, the toothed grooves, and the pinion ca pable of locking said disk by engaging simultaneously with each row of teeth.

9. The combination, substantiallyas hereinbefore set forth, of a helical or spiral carbon electrode, a shaft'supporting said electrode, an external screwthread formed upon said shaft, having a number of convolutions per unit of length equal to those of the electrode, and a bed-plate having an internal screw thread corresponding to the external thread upon said shaft.

10. The combination,substantiallyashereinbefore set forth, of a pinion driven in one direction by a maintainingpower, two concentric ranges of teeth revolving about a common axis and engaging with said pinion, respectively, at opposite points of its diameter, an armature capable of three positions and mechanically connected with the arbor of said pinion, an elcctroanagnet for controlling the positions of said armature, and an antagonistic spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of February, A. D. 1882.

HENRY VAN HOEVENBERGH.

Tfitnesses:

MILLER C. EARL, \VILLIAM H. Knxvon. 

